As the show's models, flanked by another of the show's stars, make-up artist and fashion photographer Jay Manuel, emerged from inside the airport, staff surrounding them opened several large umbrellas to protect them from view.
With a green scarf over her head the decoy "Tyra", walked through the throng covering her face with her hand.
Manuel, confronted with questions, stopped only briefly when a member of the media knocked over his luggage.
Within seconds, the recent arrivals were loaded on to a mini-bus and shuffled away.
Tourism New Zealand confirmed earlier this week it had been assisting the show's producers for several months.
There were suggestions that Queenstown was on the itinerary, but details surrounding the New Zealand filming remains shrouded in secrecy.
No-one from designers Karen Walker, Zambesi, Kate Sylvester, or Cybele would talk about the show.
Designer Trelise Cooper said she had not heard anything about it when spoken to earlier this week.
When the show sends the models to international destinations - by which time 13 contestants have been whittled down to five or six - they are given challenges which usually involve a local celebrity or fashion designer.
Ms Cooper said if a New Zealand designer appeared on the show, it would provide them with valuable publicity.
"If you're an exporter to America like I am, it would be fantastic in just letting Americans know that we exist," she said.
"It would play to the audience that you'd want in America.
"The thing about that show is that people that love fashion and all those sorts of things watch it.
"A lot of people watch that show ... it would be very exciting."
TV 3 publicist Nicole Wood said the network knew nothing about what the show's soon-to-be stars were up to in New Zealand.
"Some of the girls have arrived in New Zealand but the person was not Tyra.
"It was a decoy," she said.
"They would never ever tell us where they're filming or what they're doing."
Several episodes of the show are being filmed here for the show's 14th series, which will air from February next year in the United States.
New Zealand viewers are up to series 12.
